Honesty plays a crucial role in archaeology ethics, says Zuraina
SHAH ALAM - Honesty plays a crucial role in archaeology ethics as the findings contributes to the nation's history, says the first archaeologist in Malaysia.
In an exclusive interview with Sinar Daily, Emeritus Professor Datuk Dr Siti Zuraina Abdul Majid stressed the importance of giving the correct information to the public as archaeology plays a huge role in contributing to the nation's history.
"Whatever we (archaeologist) say will be about the history of the country, so if we do not give the real story, it will affect the history.
"Therefore, it's very important to provide the country with a true picture of what their history was," she said.
When working, Zuraina said she would not have preconceived ideas about what she wanted to say about the history of the pieces found but it would be based on where the evidence guides her to.
That same stance was what she imparted to her students.
"In archaeology, it's easy to tell lies, so it's important to be meticulous and do a thorough job on excavations.
"The older is not always better, a thorough analysis with a comprehensive narrative is far more important than just an old date," she added.
Being the first Archaeologist in Malaysia, Zuraina shared her valuable advice for future archaeologists to take heed of and the first was to be honest.
"Do a thorough job, and be meticulous in excavations because that is the basis of your analysis and interpretation," she said.
Zuraina's discoveries had placed Malaysia on the global archaeological map.
Last year, she was honoured with the Merdeka Award Trust for her contributions in conjunction with its 15th anniversary.
Her lifetime achievement was discovering a 74,000-year-old Palaeolithic stone tool site and the famous 10,000-year-old Perak man.
Her findings led the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation to declare the Lenggong Valley as a World Heritage Site in June 2012.
She also established the Centre for Global Archaeological at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) to train scholars in archaeology.
